The dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons is an important commercial hydrocarbon conversion process because of the existing and growing demand for dehydrogenated hydrocarbons for the manufacture of various chemical products such as detergents, high octane gasolines, oxygenated gasoline blending components, pharmaceutical products, plastics, synthetic rubbers, and other products which are well known to those skilled in the art. A process for the conversion of paraffins to olefins involves passing a paraffin stream over a highly selective catalyst, where the paraffin is dehydrogenated to the corresponding olefin. The dehydrogenation reaction is achieved under operating conditions selected to minimize the loss of feedstock. The typical process involves the use of a reactor (e.g., radial flow, fixed bed, fluidized bed, and the like) where a paraffin feedstock is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under reaction conditions. One example of this process is the dehydrogenation of isobutane to produce isobutylene which can be polymerized to provide tackifying agents for adhesives, viscosity-index additives for motor oils, and impact-resistant and antioxidant additives for plastics. There is also a growing demand for isobutylene for the production of oxygen-containing gasoline blending components which are being mandated by the government in order to reduce air pollution from automotive emissions.
Those skilled in the art of hydrocarbon conversion processing are well versed in the production of olefins by means of catalytic dehydrogenation of paraffinic hydrocarbons. In addition, many patents have issued which teach and discuss the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons in general. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,517 (Imai et al) discusses a dehydrogenation process and catalyst for use therein.